From playing every sport when he was little, to becoming a national champion in weight throw, Isaiah Rogers is the definition of an athlete. The graduate student from Smyrna, Ga. wouldn't have wanted his success to go any other way.
 
At a young age, Rogers started in football with the support of his father. While having to worry about what age group he would play in due to his size, solutions were thrown out on how to help solve the problem. Coaches saw potential in Isaiah as a running back with his good center of mass. It was recommended to gain some speed that he join track. It wasn't until after one track meet that another recommendation was handed to Isaiah, which led him to try some events in the field. From the moment he picked up shot put, Rogers knew he had found his sport.
 
The road wasn't always easy for Roger's shot put career. Just as he began to learn, his first coach took a job offer in a different state, leaving no one to teach him. Even though Isaiah's father wanted him to play football, he realized what his son needed, and became his coach.
 
"He took the step up and became my coach at the time" Rogers said, "He had never done track and field. He was a football guy through and through."
 
Isaiah attended Campbell High School and continued to grow, improve, and build relationships and find his current coach, Mike Judge.

"Through my entire relationship knowing him [Mike Judge], he's the one coach that always had my back," said Rogers. "He always believed in me and motivated me and driven me to be the best athlete I can be."
 
Rogers gives a lot of credit to Judge for his collegiate success. It was always a dream for Isaiah to continue his sports career in college. His father played football in college, his older sister had graduated before him, and he wanted to be no different than them. He started off his collegiate career at TCU and transferred to Virginia Tech after his sophomore year. Things were off to a great start.
 
But it wasn't until he picked up an injury that forced him to watch from the sidelines, that his mentality started to shift.
 
"It was really a blessing in disguise," Rogers said, "For the first time, it really allowed me to focus on one thing, like I need to get back. I need to get back. Not only get back, but I got to get better."
 
Fast forward to this current season. Isaiah Rogers has been on fire, completely rewriting the KSU record book in weight throw. He set a new personal best in weight throw to start the season which ranked in number one in the ASUN and the NCAA. He won the weight throw at the Doc Holiday Virginia Tech Elite Meet, finished third at the Music City Challenge, and won the gold medal in weight throw at the ASUN Championship.
 
When it came to competing for a national championship, Rogers had not only his past success to help with his confidence, but also his two biggest supporters, his father, and coach Mike Judge. The road to his national championship was not the easiest.
 
"It wasn't one of those things where I went out and lit it on fire, it was a battle."
 
He felt he was throwing well but not his best. As the event went on, Rogers fell behind and had to begin chasing instead of leading. All that he had worked for, from his early age in learning a brand-new sport, to having to overcome a serious injury, he felt it was slowly getting away from him.
 
Rogers said that his father and Judge were standing behind him. Judge pulled him aside just before his sixth and final throw. He said that Judge did not tell him anything technical nor, about the meet itself.
 
"Remember everything you have been through the last 18 months" Judge told Rogers, "Remember all the struggles, all the rehab, all the pain, the surgery, and everything you have been through to get to this moment. Just get the job done. We know what you've been through, show these people who you are. It's time to rise to the occasion."
 
A newfound calmness overtook Rogers and was exactly what he needed to hear.
 
"People want to know how to be clutch. You want to know how to really be clutch? You have to be willing to lose."
 
At that moment, Rogers said he felt at ease, no matter the result.
 
Isaiah Rogers went on to become the second national champion in the Division I era for Kennesaw State. The other, his throwing partner, Daniel Haugh, in hammer throw.
 "Since I arrived at KSU I believed one mantra, you give me a chance and I'll give you a ring," Rogers said, "I like to think I accomplished that for this indoor championship. Owls are up baby."
 
Keep up with Owls track and field teams by following KSU on Twitter at @KSUOwlNation and @KSUTrackFieldXC, on Instagram @ksuowlstrackxc  or by liking Kennesaw State Owls on Facebook.
 
 
 
 
 

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